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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. hand — help
  3. pound — a weight
  4. hand — in cards
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. firm — a company
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. cue — a hint
  12. press — newspapers
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. press — a publisher
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. firm — decided
  18. mine — for digging
  19. cue — for pool
  20. firm — steady
  21. wind — moving air
  22. press — to push
  23. cue — a signal
  24. wind — moving air

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com